Nao Nagasawa (長澤 奈央 ), best known to her fans for her roles in various Super Sentai and Kamen Rider TV shows, is someone with more than just a pretty face and a gorgeous body. She’s been a recording artist, releasing singles like “Kiss, Kiss” and “Game”, and a dancer. But it’s her skills as an actress were she excels and has even led to her winning the Best Actress Award at the Myrtle Film Festival for her English-speaking lead role in the 2009 thriller Hotel Chelsea. Her diversity as an actress has resulted in her playing both heroine and villian. She could play a distraught victim one minute, and a malicious manipulator the next – and that’s all within the same film.

Never before has Miss. Nagasawa given an interview in English… until now! Therefore, Diverse Japan is both honoured and thrilled to be able to share with you here an exclusive interview with Miss. Nagasawa as she talks about her role as Hurricane Blue in the 2002 Super Sentai series Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger, her stint in the music industry and her time as a popular gravure idol, among other things.

Interview took place via webcam on Monday 30th, January 2012.

Interviewer: Spencer Lloyd Peet (Diverse Japan Administrator)

Okay, let’s start at the beginning. What was your childhood like, was it a happy one?

Yes, I was a happy child. I was a tomboy – everyone thought I was a boy because of my short-cut hair and I used to fight a lot (laughs).

There are many “tokusatsu” (Japanese live-action super hero-type shows such as Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger) toys and collectables produced to tie-in with the shows. Do you have any?

Oh, yes. I love action figures.

How many do you have in your collection?

Maybe 30 figures… I put them all together in a line in order on a shelf.

2012 marks the 10th anniversary of Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger. Are there any plans this year to make a one-off Special to celebrate?

Maybe. This is very wonderful year for me.

Do you enjoy watching tokusatsu shows?

Yeah, I watch them every week, Super Sentai and Kamen Rider. I’ve been watching for about 10 years.

So you are actually a fan yourself?

Yeah, I’m fan.

Which do you like better, the Super Sentai series or Kamen Rider?

I cannot choose. Both were very important for my career. Super Sentai discovered me and Kamen Rider was important for my skills. I appreciate both and keep them close in my heart.

You gave a great performance as the character Natsumi in Ultraman Max. Was it difficult playing a character that was both good and evil?

Yes, it was tough.

That wasn’t the only time you played a villain on screen, was it? Do you prefer to play the part of a heroine or a villain?

I enjoy playing both.

Are there any plans for you to appear in other tokusatsu shows?

I will be in Kamen Rider Fouze. My role is teacher and kickboxer [Ms. Haruka]. It was very fun to make.

The fight sequences in these shows must be very physically demanding, and in your films like Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle. How do you keep your energy up?

If I have time to rest in between the fight scenes, I rest. I believe my energy force is key for the film.

Once you’ve been cast in an action film, on average, how many hours a day would you be expected to train?

Oh, it depends on the work. But usually I start working out alone and then there’s one month of training. During that time I train all day long.

Have you ever been hurt during a fight scene?

Oh yes. During the filming of an episode of Hurricanger, I cracked several ribs – it was very ouch. Whilst I was fighting a monster, it hit me in the jaw and I fell down and started rolling back and cracked my ribs.

You were very convincing in the role of Emi in Hotel Chelsea and you had to show your character being very upset by the murder of her husband. As an actress, did you find it difficult to cry, did you think of something sad from your own life to help you cry or did you use eye-drops for the tears?

At first it was very difficult to cry. But once I got into the character, it wasn’t so difficult.

So you cried real tears?

Yes, they were my tears.

The filming took place in the real Hotel Chelsea in New York. Was this your first time in America, what were your first impressions?

Yes it was. I liked it very much. It was very cold, but I love New York, very good place.

Both actor Anthony Laurent, who played NYPD Detective Smith and the film’s writer and producer Hiro Masuda speak highly of you in their interviews for Diverse Japan, not only of you acting skills, but also as a genuinely kind and warm person. What was it like for you working with them and the other members of the international cast and crew?

It was a great experience for me to work with people in a different environment. I learnt a lot from the crew and working with small details.

You won an award for Best Actress at the Myrtle Film Festival for your part in the film. Since winning the award, do you feel that people take you more seriously now as an actress?

Maybe a little. But myself, I haven’t changed.

Are you able to tell us anything about the TOEI film Rebellions, which will be directed by Koichi Sakamoto (Kamen Rider W and Kamen Rider Fourze), and the character you play?

The name of the role I play in this film is Rin. She is cool and uses a gun. Even during the action scenes, I express my cool character of her.

Idol Saaya [Irie] and actress Minami Tsukui are also in the film, aren’t they? You’ve worked with Ms. Tsukui before on Geisha Assassin (aka Geisha vs Ninja). What was it like working with her again? Do you get on well with each other?

I was really pleased to work with Miss. Tsukui again, we get along well.

What type of character would you like to play, that you haven’t played already?

I would like to play a role in a jidaigeki (period drama) film.

Which Hollywood director would you most like to work with?

Clint Eastwood. He’s a great actor and director. He makes a lot of great films. I respect him very much.

You also do a lot of theatre work. What skills as an actress do you bring to the stage that you don’t, or can’t particularly use on film? Is there much of a difference for you between performing on film and performing on stage?

On stage, I use my whole body to express my feelings. But on film I try to play it more natural.

Which is more enjoyable for you as an actress, film or theatre?

I prefer film. I want to be in a Hollywood movie in the future.

Would you like to perform on Broadway as well?

Yeah, sure.

Many people also know you through your previous work as a gravure idol. At what age did you start?

I was 17-years-old – same time as when I started being in Hurricanger.

As a gravure idol you were filmed and photographed in many beautiful locations. Did you ever come to Europe for a photo shoot?

I’ve been to Spain and Paris for a weekly magazine photo shoot.

Were your parents very supportive of you during your time as a gravure idol?

In the beginning my parents were not very supportive, but then they changed.

What did you learn most from being a gravure idol?

I learnt how to express myself in the videos and photo books.

Will you be releasing any more photo books soon?

Ah, sorry no photo book.

Have you now stopped being a gravure idol?

Yes. I have stopped.

How and why did you get involved in the music industry?

My character Nanami in Hurricanger was a singer so I sang in some episodes. After the series ended, I continued to make music for a while.

Now I am making TV drama. From March I will be going to Taiwan, shooting a movie. And in April I will go back to Japan to do stage.

What do you like to do in your spare time, do you have any hobbies?

I like travel and calligraphy. I have a license for calligraphy – I am professional, grade 5.

When did you start learning calligraphy?

From childhood, I studied in school.

Where would your ideal date be, somewhere romantic or somewhere fun?

I love both.

How would you describe yourself?

I am an optimistic person.

Are you someone who is ambitious and makes plans for the future, or do you take life as it comes?

I make plans, but it is not easy to keep them. So I accept things faced to me.

Are you aware that you have fans outside Asia, does this surprise you?

Yeah, because I didn’t know about it. But it is so lovely.

What message do you have for your fans?

I make a film in Taiwan now, so maybe you watch me in the future.

Before we conclude, is there anything you would like to ask?

Oh, yes. Do many people in England watch Super Sentai and Kamen Rider?

Yes they do, and people in other parts of Europe and of course America. There are many websites in English dedicated to the shows, and forums where fans come to discuss episodes and their favourite characters. You are often mentioned.

See Nao Nagasawa in the critically acclaimed film Hotel Chelsea. Writer and producer, Hiro Masuda, has made Hotel Chelsea free to watch online in order to help raise money for the Ashinaga Education Fund to support orphans of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011.

Please note: This interview is protected by copyright and cannot be republished without permission.

Such a great interview. I Had no idea Ms. Nagasawa was an actual fan of the KR/SS series. Wonderful work on Hotel Chelsea. Great ending twist. Hurricanger is my personal favorite SS series. It was cool to know she did most of her own in suit work. I hope you return to America, to do more movies.

The fact that Nao is a genuine fan of tokusatsu shows was a suprised to me too. Yes, Hotel Chelsea is a great film – worth watching a second, and even a third time as you will begin to see the clues as to who the real murderer was that you may have missed on first viewing.

That was really interesting, i had no idea she did some of the fights in Hurricanger herself, but it makes sense, the actors had to be there in costume for the open visor scenes, so why not let them do stuff that is not too dangerous themselves?

Good Interview, I learned a lot about Miss Nagasawa and her work, I’ve only seen her in Super Sentai and Kamen Rider and listened to her music. Now I want to see some of the other things she did. :-)

Finding out that Nao did her own fight scenes was a real scoop! And I was pleased to learn that she also got to keep her costume. I recommend you see the film “Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle” (part two of “Hard Revenge Milly”). Nao gives an admirable performance – it’s a great action film!

Actually, I didn’t refer to England as being the UK, but I can see how suggesting the UK is a country can cause some confusion and some offense as well as an unnecessary debate. Therefore, I have slightly rephrased the question without it affecting Nao’s answer.

Great interview. It was interesting to get to know more about Nao. I always knew she was a big tokusatsu fan. There’s youtube videos of her Hurricaneger toy collection, and I don’t think she would guest star on toku shows so many times if she didn’t love it. I also checked out Hotel Chelsea last night after reading this interview. Nao was great. Her English was a little hard to understand at times because of her accent, but she still did really good. I wish Nao well and hope she gets a big role sometime in the future.

Great interview. It was interesting to get to know more about Nao. There’s youtube videos of her Hurricaneger toy collection. I also checked out Hotel Chelsea last night after reading this interview. Nao was great. Her English was a little hard to understand at times because of her accent, but she still did really good.

Thanks for your kind comment. I’d like to see Nao’s collection. Could you posssibly send me the youtube links.

I’m glad Hotel Chelsea is being seen by more people due to this interview. If you haven’t already, you can read Diverse Japan’s interview with the film’s writer and producer (and actor), Hiro Masuda and leading man Anthony Laurent. Both talk about working with Nao.

Thanks for your comment, Watari Goro. When I visit Hawaii I will surely look you up :) I’d love to hear any article ideas you may have for Diverse Japan regarding tokusatsu etc… Just email them through.

Hi, firstly, that was an awesome interview, was wondering if you actually recorded the webcam session and if that was possible to upload?!

Then someone brought up the UK/England thing. They should have read properly that it was Nao’s question to the admin. If she was being specific to England or the British provinces isn’t made clear, but even where I was born and always lived in England, I rarely refer to myself as English/from England but prefer British/from UK, and I don’t make it a big deal. Where we have some political unrest about separatism atm doesn’t make things easier, but I don’t think this is the place to discuss that!

Though yeah, we are big fans of toku, and as part of the UKR fanbase (where we do have scottish/welsh members lol, not sure on Irish though!), most here are really PR fams, and some like myself also crossed over to SS…

Thanks for your comment, Shan E Din, I really appreciate all the positive feedback this interview has received and I can assure you Miss. Nagasawa and her management are very pleased and grateful to everyone who supports her.

The interview was recorded – lasted for just over one hour – but there are no plans at this time to make it available for public viewing. It was recorded to be kept on record and to aid in the transcription.

I’m sure when Miss. Nagasawa mentioned England she was referring to the UK and didn’t intentionally leave out Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

WOW Nao Nagasawa is so cute and I wonder what her favourite Pokemon is. I’ve seen every episode of Ninpu Sentai Hurricanger including their team ups with Gaoranger and Abaranger which is real epic. I’d love to one day meet up with Nao Nagasawa one day because they’ll be cute and so awesome. What do you guys think?

Hi Jay. No you don’t need to know any html to run a blog on WordPress.com (you do for WordPress.org). But the option is there for anyone to use or learn from for future posts. You can type straight into the post and upload/add photos if you wish. It’s pretty straight forward, really. Hope this helps. Play about with it for awhile to get used to it. Have fun!